Words of wisdom

Scrabble players gather weekly at Barnes & Noble

Scrabble players gather weekly at Barnes & Noble

April 06, 2006|LAUREEN FAGAN Tribune Staff Writer

Sunday evenings at Barnes & Noble in Mishawaka attract students working at laptops. Customers browsing the shelves. Couples chatting over their books at tables or relaxing in chairs and on couches. And a few cutthroat Scrabble players, too. Sure, they come each week to have fun and socialize together. But. "I think we're all competitive or we wouldn't be here," said Henrietta Rice, who comes each week from Elkhart to play for a few hours. "Well, we don't come here to lose," observed Florence Harrett, 82, also of Elkhart. Harrett said there are always three tables reserved for players -- and as many as 12 players who turn out. "Eight is a good average," she explained. And that's about how many years she's been coming to play the game, Harrett added. "About the same for me," Rice chimed in. As Harrett lamented a selection of letters too heavy on the vowels and Rice maintained a 25-point lead, the former described her love of the Scrabble challenge. "I played with my sisters' kids," she said. "And they'd say, 'When I can beat Auntie Florence, that'll be the day.' "And pretty soon they were doing it." Scrabble, as opposed to other games, she said, leaves you with something when you're done playing it. "A better vocabulary," she said. "I've just always been interested in words." Rice praised Harrett's work as she scored 51 points by strategically using the high-value squares on the board. "See what she did?" Rice asked. "Because she's clever." Jerry Rider, 67, of Mishawaka, loves board games and attends many community events related to playing them. "It's quite a menagerie," he said of the group of players. "I come here to get lessons by players like this," Rider added, teasing the two ladies. Rider said he just loves words, and that's why Scrabble is such a unique attraction. "I consider myself a wordsmith," said Rider, who also enjoys writing. "And ever a student. I'm always looking to learn new words." Especially the strange words, like "ae." Don't believe it? Look it up. Especially, Harrett said, if you come out to Barnes & Noble for the games and try to play Rider very often. "He's always trying to bluff," she warned. Staff writer Laureen Fagan: lfagan@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6344